The dissemination of divination in roman republican times

frequently observed was the gallbladder. It was devoted to Mars and Neptune. On the
Piacenza bronze liver, the letters for Mars and the first letter of Neptune can be made out in
Etruscan (Thulin 1906b: 20-22). If the gall bladder was big, it signified a naval victory as in
the case of Augustus before the battle at Actium (Plin.Nat.11.195). If it was black it was a
bad sign (Sen.Oed.358).
The private form of extispicy seems to have been used in all possible situations where an
answer to something in the future was needed (e.g. Sall.Iug.63.1; Plin.Nat.11.195). It did not
involve a high amount of resources since it could only be used for private decisions. The
Roman state did not accept decisions concerning battle based on private extispicy. Only in
the last century BCE do we hear of military commanders using haruspices for decisive
answers concerning attack, but at that time, the armies were to a large degree effectively
private. Consequently from around 100 BCE there is an increase in the credibility value
attached to extispicy.
History According to legend extispicy was used already at the time of the kings
(Liv.2.42.10). In the 3 rd and 2 nd century BCE it seems to have been widespread (Cato.Agr.5.4;
Pl.Poen.463). It continued to be so. From around the turn of the last century BCE it was
increasingly being used by the great men of the republic such as Gaius Gracchus (V.Max.
9.12.6), Marius (Sall.Iug.63.1), Sulla (Cic.Div.1.72), Verres (Cic.Ver.2.27.33) and Caesar
(Cic.Div.1.119). The trend continued into imperial times with Augustus, Caius, and Claudius
all using haruspices as consultants in their decision making (Plin.Nat.11.189). The reason for
the use is probably its utility, since haruspices could give rich answers to any question at any
given time. The traditional practices, the auspices, could only give a yes or no answer.
Cultural model The gods were seen to express their will 176 in the entrails, possibly in the
belief that the gods entered the victim at the time of death. 177 The entrails could also be seen
to declare whether the gods were satisfied. 178 The gods give answers to the future and what
can be done to obtain success.
directly related. That would effectively leave us swith only one source.
176 (..)voluntas dei per exta disquiratur(..)Macr.3.5.1
177 (..)in pectora tauri/Inferni venere dei(..)Luc.1.633f.
178 nuntia fibra (Tib.2.1.26), fibra locuta (Prop.4.1.103)
172